Rin Falls Ill
by BeefDonburi95
Summary: When Rin comes down with a cold, it's up to lord Sesshomaru to care for the little girl. A SesshRin Oneshot


A cold breeze blew through the field causing Rin to shiver and instinctively pull her kimono closer to herself. The young girl's face brightened at the sight of richly coloured orange and red leaves being carried gracefully from their birthplaces on tree branches to their resting places in amidst the grass. The girl watched in awe. Though she'd witnessed this every autumn in the nine years of her life, every year was like the first time. Rin squealed in delight and took a running leap into a pile of leaves. She giggled and rolled around in the leaves, taking in their earthy scent and loving every minute.

"Rin." a monotone voice called.

Rin sprang up and her grin grew wider

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She greeted, running toward him. The stoic demon did not look at her but he nodded in recognition.

"We're going Rin."

The small girl nodded her head and followed. She gave a shiver, the wind blowing again. She paused for a moment and coughed. Desperately, Rin attempted to cover it up. She did not want to be a hinderance to her beloved lord Sesshomaru. But the demon stopped as well.

"You are sick, Rin?" He inquired.

Rin shook her head

"I am fine my lord." she answered, feigning a healthy smile.

The girl coughed again.

"You lie."

Sesshomaru bent down and placed his hand on the child's forehead. Her cheeks burned with colour.

"You have a fever." He said, lowered his hand. Rin looked at her feet

"You don't have to worry about me, my lord." She said "I can just sleep when we set up camp tonight after meeting Ah-Un and master Jaken."

Sesshomaru stood up and started off down the dirt road again without a word. Rin followed, coughing as she went.

Sesshomaru could not deny his worry for the little girl's well being. He glanced at her as they walked, out of the corner of his eye. The face that was usually so full of wonder was flushed and sickly. He despised seeing Rin that way so he averted his gaze and stared straight ahead, toward the forest where Jaken's scent came from. Rin coughed loudly and harshly. Sesshomaru clenched his hand into a fist. Suddenly he heard moan from behind him. He turned quickly and found Rin doubled over clutching her chest, hacking. He rushed to the girl and put his hand on her back. Rin looked up at Sesshomaru, panting after her coughing attack, her eyes drooping. She tried to stand up, but swayed dangerously

"Lord...Sesshomaru..." She tried to speak, but fell silent. She fell unconscious. Sesshomaru scooped up the girl and hurried toward the forest, his amber eyes blazing with concern.

"Jaken." He ordered, maintaining his usual mask of calm "Boil these in water and give them to Rin." He placed Rin on soft ground against Ah-Un and thrust a bundle of hastily picked herbs in the direction of his vassal. Jaken bowed

"Yes, my lord! Of course! But might I ask what is wrong with young Rin?" He grabbed a pot from the satchel on the two headed dragon's back and brought it back to the fire. Sesshomaru knelt down beside the girl

"...She is very sick." was all Sesshomaru could manage.

Wrought with worry, he sat with Rin while Jaken boiled water to make the herbal tea. Sesshomaru had recalled that the herbs he'd gathered while on route to the campsite helped to soothe coughs and the like. His mother, that wretched beast of a woman, had given them him when he was very small. Rin shivered, her unhappy face beaded with sweat. Sesshomaru wrapped the mokomoko around her, offering her the most warmth he could.

"L-Lord...Sesshomaru..." Rin murmured deleriously. Sesshomaru stared at the young girl. It disturbed him to see her so sickly.

Rin opened her eyes weakly. She tried to sit up, but Sesshomaru stopped her

"Don't." he instructed softly. Rin looked up at him groggily and smiled

"...Thank you lord Sesshomaru." She said in practically a whisper. Sesshomaru hesitently extended his hand and placed it on her forehead. He brushed Rin's unruly bangs from her face. That same hand which gently cared for a frail human girl had been stained with blood so many times before. It had always astonished Sesshomaru that Rin did not fear him. Was it her naivety or was she simply just brave?

_Or is it something else altogether?_ Sesshomaru mused. Slowly, he stroked the young girl's head. She sighed. Rin felt overjoyed to be with her lord, despite her condition.

"Here is the tea, my lord." the little green demon announced as he handed a clay cup to Rin. She struggled to bring the cup to her lips, but Sesshomaru's hand guided hers. She drank the tea, grimacing from the bitterness

"It's so bitter." Rin said, her face scrunching. A smile tugged at the corner of Sesshomaru's lips. He said nothing.

The hours of the night drifted by and Sesshomaru never once left Rin's side. Jaken had fallen asleep already along with Ah-Un and they had extinguished the fire. Sesshomaru was the one left awake to protect the others as he'd always done. It was odd that he, a powerful demon with the capability for so much destruction, a demon that had pursued power and spent his entire life battling, could find so much happiness in being in the company of a human girl. She was like the embodiment of the sun, her smiles sweet and her laughter like peals of a bell. Was it possible that this great and terrible demon loved the little girl? Sesshomaru gazed at the small child, asleep and coughing less than before. She stirred in her sleeping, muttering something incoherant before rolling into the demon's lap. Sesshomaru recovered her with the mokomoko and placed a protective hand on her cheek.

"Lord...Sesshomaru..." She grinned, sleepily.

Sesshomaru smiled.


End file.
